The Regional Development Council in Central Visayas (RDC 7) has called for a major overhaul of Metro Cebu's aging flood control strategy, pushing for new dams and updated engineering plans to protect the region from devastating inundation.
Master Plan Deemed Outdated, Dams Proposed
During its fourth-quarter meeting on Thursday, December 4, 2025, the RDC 7 committee, led by Cebu Governor Pamela Baricuatro, concluded that the 2017 Metro Cebu Integrated Flood Control and Drainage System Master Plan needs urgent revision. The council endorsed a recommendation for the Department of Public Works and Highways (DPWH) in Central Visayas to conduct feasibility studies and detailed engineering design for four proposed dams: Mananga II, Cotcot, Lusaran, and Butuanon.
The push for an update follows a detailed assessment of flooding during Typhoon Tino presented by Dr. Danilo Jaque of HydroNet Consultants. His report revealed that critical river-improvement measures from the 2017 plan were never implemented. Shockingly, simulations showed that if the proposed dams had been built, they could have retained up to 21 million cubic meters of water per day during the typhoon, drastically reducing damage.
Lagging Implementation and New Challenges
Data presented at the meeting highlighted a significant implementation gap. According to DPWH 7, only 64 percent of 69,794 meters of planned revetments and a mere 27.24 percent of 69,742 meters of drainage systems have been constructed. Furthermore, none of the proposed dams and retention basins have been built.
Nonato Paylado, Chief of the DPWH 7 Planning and Design Division, cited challenges with informal settler families (ISFs), particularly in Mananga, and the need to include areas not in the original plan as primary reasons for delays. He emphasized that successful implementation requires close coordination with local government units for relocation efforts.
Dr. Jaque's findings stressed that rapid urbanization and changed rainfall patterns have made the 2017 plan obsolete. Typhoon Tino dumped over 183 millimeters of rain in just 6 to 10 hours, underscoring the need to revise hydrological parameters for a new master plan.
Path Forward: Studies, Funding, and Green Solutions
The DPWH Region 7 will now collaborate with its central office to prepare terms of reference and detailed designs for the four dams, targeting submission in the first and second quarters of 2026. The Cebu Provincial Government has been asked to fund the feasibility studies, with procurement expected by Q1 2026 and funding release by Q2 2026. These studies will also be endorsed to the National Irrigation Administration and the DENR Mines and Geosciences Bureau.
In a parallel move, the Regional Project Monitoring Committee recommended integrating nature-based solutions into all standard DPWH infrastructure designs. Paylado stated the agency is open to such approaches, like bamboo-based systems already in use, and will consult experts before formalizing guidelines. Aurelio Salgados, head of the RDC 7 Environment Committee, welcomed this "balanced" approach, noting the protective role of mangroves as natural seawalls.
The collective push signals a critical shift towards a more resilient and updated flood defense system for Metro Cebu, combining large-scale infrastructure with ecological strategies to safeguard the region's future.
